My Vocation

"Again the Kingdom of Heaven is like to a merchant seeking good pearls. Who when he had found one pearl of great price, went his way, and sold all that he had, and bought it."                     ~ Matthew 13:45-46

Hello Everyone! 

(If the video isn't working here this link should work as well) https://youtu.be/LTFVN7jeMPg 

My name is Samantha. 

I am a High School Theology Teacher in Arizona and for a long time have felt called to Religious Life. I have created this gofundme page in order to share a little bit more about  my journey, where I am at, and how you can help me follow the Lord! 

Vocation Story in a Nut Shell 

Ever since I was a little girl and learned that a Religious Sister was someone who gave her life totally to Jesus I wanted to do the same. Over the years the Lord slowly and gently drew me deeper into relationship with Him mostly through daily personal prayer, the sacraments, and time in front of the Blessed Sacrament.

I grew up in Connecticut with a lot of love and support from my family and community at home, in Catholic Schooling, and at our Parish. My family moved to a small farm when I was in High School and those years were marked with lots of joy and growth. I experienced the Lord's love in new ways through my confirmation program and Steubenville Youth Conferences (powerful retreats put on for teens all over the country) every summer. There I encountered the Holy Spirit as I experienced God's love in a deep and personal way. 

However, it wasn't until I began college that the Lord began pursuing my heart very intentionally. I explain more in the video above but it was during my years in college at Franciscan University of Steubenville that I became more undoubtedly aware that the Lord desired me to choose Him and to give Him all of me specifically by becoming a Religious Sister. Yes, there were times of confusion and times when I had to ask the Lord to change my heart and give me the desire to do this, as on my own I struggled to understand how this life could truly satisfy. But no matter what, at the end of the day there was only Him and His everlasting love has never failed in continuing His work of guiding me and making me new through it all. 

The Lord brought me on many adventures over the years, some being studying abroad, mission work, and finding authentic friendships. When I finally came home after college I found myself in a place of waiting as I believed I was called to become a Religious Sister but had not yet visited a community that I sensed God was calling me to join. All along I have been drawn to the spirituality of St. Francis, which is marked by the both radical and simple nature of living the Gospel. I was drawn to living a life of spiritual poverty where in being unattached to earthly things I could make more room in my heart for God. I also found myself drawn into relationship with God through the Holy Spirit and experienced deeper conversion, turning towards God and away from sin, in my life as I allowed God into areas of my heart that needed healing. Much of this healing came through Praise and Worship and taking time every day to surrender my life, situations, anxieties, etc. to God by putting Him first in praise.  

During this time, I learned that other women felt called to the same way of life that I desired to live. Many of them were living in Phoenix, Arizona, and participating in the ministry of the Franciscan Friars of the Holy Spirit, ( https://becomefire.faith ) a men's religious community that was founded under Bishop Olmsted in 2016. I had known some of these Friars in college. Their community lived the same spirituality that we desired to live as women, and indeed had been living on our own for many years. The idea of a new women's religious community was on all of our hearts and in our prayers.

And so, through a spirit-led series of events that confirmingly unfolded with ease, I found myself packing to move to Arizona in the summer of 2017. Discernment of indeed starting this new community became more intentional over the next two years as we started living together in discernment houses and Bishop Olmsted began guiding us. We are also blessed to have two Spirit-filled consecrated religious women leading us through this process. This past year has been one of beginning to dive deeper into a lifestyle preparing for Religious Life together and in our personal walks with the Lord. It has been a blessing in so many ways. 

Not to leave you with a cliff hanger... but that's all I can share for now because the story's not over yet!  
 
Ways you can help

- Pray for me 
- Ask the Lord if He would be pleased for you to support me financially and if so, do so here. No amount is too small! "We can all do small things with great love!" :) 
- Pray for us more!

I am both blown-away and grateful for how the Lord has brought us to where we are now.  While there are some more steps to come, one thing that does need to happen for me to be able to enter is for my college debt to be gone. I was blessed with four amazing years at a school that nourished me intellectually, spiritually, and personally. Any funds raised here will go directly to the paying off of my college debt so that I can enter Religious Life. 

Truth be told, the total sum of my college debt is around $95,000 - the goal posted here will take care of my small loan. :) Should all other things come together as planned I hope to enter in August, which leaves only four and a half more months to fundraise! I know the Lord cannot be outdone in generosity so I am hopeful for the ways He will provide. I am taking the advice of a friend and am making the Lord my CFO! :) 


What is Religious Life

Our God loves us! He calls some of us to reveal His love and become holy through marriage and family life and He calls others to be signs of the love that we are all created for in Heaven, where we will be totally in union with God, by living just for Him while on earth.

Religious take vows of Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience to God. 

Poverty reveals that God is man's only real treasure.
Chastity reveals one's undivided heart towards God.
Obedience practices imitation of Christ who came to do the Father's will.  

https://cmswr.org/about/religious-life/ 


From me to you!

https://youtu.be/okzyl3I2PKM - In gratitude for your prayers and support I wanted to share with you a song that I wrote before moving to Phoenix (click the link above) and some photos (sorry, kinda blurry!) below of the other women I am journeying with and some of the Friars as well.





Peace and Blessings,
Samantha